


Saeyoung's List

by Belenos



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Comedy, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Feel-good, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Pregnancy, Skippy's List
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2016-11-09
Packaged: 2018-08-30 02:55:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8515822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Belenos/pseuds/Belenos
Summary: An ex-secret agent and soon-to-be father, Saeyoung looks back on his legacy and what he'll be leaving behind.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Also available on [Tumblr](http://paradiseorparty.tumblr.com/post/152963444097/saeyoungs-list) (likes and reblogs appreciated)!

Pregnancy can be a thrilling journey for expecting couples.

Unfortunately, for retired secret agents in their mid-twenties, it proved to be anything _but_.

“I’m bored,” declared Saeyoung.

“Play a game,” you offered, one of the many suggestions you’d thrown at him that never seemed to stick.

“Saeran has my 3DS. And either way, you can only beat _Tetris_ so many times before it gets old. Did you know you can launch a spaceship if you score over 1,000,000 points?”

You sighed. You considered asking him why he couldn’t afford a second 3DS when there was a whole garage of luxury sports cars parked outside, or why he was using an eighth generation handheld to play _Tetris_ in the first place.

Instead, you reached over and placed a sympathetic hand on his back. “I know you’re bored, Saeyoung. You’re not used to having so much free time, not after what the agency put you through.”

It was true. When Saeyoung was working, he had so little time to spare that he spent it on what would’ve otherwise been the essentials: eating, sleeping, etc. It took years to undo all of those destructive habits, but when he looked at your smiling face and swollen belly, his heart soared with all the progress you’d made together.

In the meantime, he was finding himself ill-prepared for the pure, unadulterated _freedom_ that came with early retirement. Your growing army of small robotic animals was proof of this; there were at least four who personified the other RFA members, as well as an especially temperamental poodle who was eerily reminiscent of Vanderwood.

“I’m going to see what the others are up to,” he said, picking up his phone.

**Saeyoung has entered the chatroom.**

> **Saeyoung** : I’m  
>  **Saeyoung** : so  
>  **Saeyoung** : BORED >_<  
>  **Jaehee Kang** : Hello Saeyoung.  
>  **Jaehee Kang** : You say that now, but just wait until the baby arrives.  
>  **Jaehee Kang** : You’ll miss having so much free time.  
>  **Saeyoung** : lolol I’m sure I’ll adjust.  
>  **Saeyoung** : Hey Jaehee.  
>  **Saeyoung** : if u quit ur job tomorrow, how would you spend the rest of the day?  
>  **Jaehee Kang** : Hmm… I’ve never thought about it.  
>  **Jaehee Kang** : I’ve considered the long-term implications, but now that you mention it I’m not sure what I’d actually _do_.

**Jumin Han has entered the chatroom.**

> **Jumin Han** : Don’t think about it.  
>  **Jaehee** **Kang** : I’m not actually quitting, Mr. Han;;  
>  **Saeyoung** : lolol aww  
>  **Saeyoung** : I think Jumin would miss u Jaehee.  
>  **Jumin Han** : Nonsense.  
>  **Jumin Han** : Finding a new assistant would simply be too much trouble.  
>  **Saeyoung** : Ouch.  
>  **Saeyoung** : Four years of service and that’s the best he can do. T_T  
>  **Jumin Han** : The most I’m obligated to do is pay her, and I do. Quite well.  
>  **Jumin Han** : In any case, Saeyoung, why don’t you consider a part-time job?  
>  **Saeyoung** : lol nty.  
>  **Saeyoung** : Unless…  
>  **Saeyoung** : are u perhaps looking for a cat sitter?  
>  **Jaehee Kang** : Yes.  
>  **Jumin Han** : **No**.  
>  **Saeyoung** : lol Worth a shot.

**ZEN has entered the chatroom.**

> **Saeyoung** : Zen is here!!  
>  **ZEN** : Hey Saeyoung.  
>  **ZEN** : Weren’t you here just last night?  
>  **ZEN** : Did you even leave?;;  
>  **Jaehee Kang** : Domestic life has hit Saeyoung particularly hard, I’m afraid.  
>  **ZEN** : Dude.  
>  **ZEN** : You need a hobby.  
>  **Saeyoung** : That’s what I said, but I’ve been forbidden from building anymore robots since Jaehee nearly set Saeran on fire. >_<  
>  **Jaehee Kang** : I- what?  
>  **ZEN** : I don’t mean robotics lol.  
>  **ZEN** : Weren’t you interested in anything besides computers?  
>  **Saeyoung** : Not especially.  
>  **Jumin Han** : The baby is due any day now, correct?  
>  **Jumin Han** : Perhaps you should be taking this time to prepare.  
>  **Jaehee Kang** : Mr. Han, did you forget?  
>  **Jaehee Kang** : The day MC tested positive, Saeyoung practically bought out every department store within a 15 mile radius;;  
>  **Jumin Han** : There’s more to starting a family than just material goods, Assistant Kang.  
>  **Jumin Han** : You should think about what you’ll be leaving behind as well.  
>  **ZEN** : You talk as though you actually _have_ a family. -_-  
>  **ZEN** : Being a cat mom doesn’t make you a father, you know.  
>  **Jaehee Kang** : For once, I think Mr. Han has a point.  
>  **Jaehee Kang** : Don’t you have any family heirlooms, Saeyoung?  
>  **Jaehee Kang** : Something of personal value you might like to leave them?

Saeyoung leaned back into the couch, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. As children, he and Saeran could afford to do little else but _survive_. Every waking moment was spent avoiding their mother as well as the prying eyes of their father; the last thing Saeyoung needed was a reminder of those days.

He certainly didn’t want his children to remember them.

> **Saeyoung** : Can’t say that I do, Jaehee.

Feeling a foot gently prodding his leg, Saeyoung looked up from his phone to see you staring at him from across the couch.

> **Saeyoung** : Gotta go.  
>  **Saeyoung** : Wifey needs me~

“What is it?” asked Saeyoung.

You smiled sheepishly. “Could you run to the convenience store for me? I could _really_ go for some ice cream.” 

* * *

Within minutes, Saeyoung found himself standing beneath the harsh convenience store lighting, staring into the ice cream case and at his own haggard reflection. It was a sight he had grown used to in his youth, but after spending the last several hours sprawled out on the couch, it was hardly justified.

‘ _You should think about what you’ll be leaving behind as well_.’

He frowned.

For the most part, Saeyoung was _happy_. Back home, his wife - his entire _universe -_ was waiting for him. Saeran was there as well, safe and sound as all his _Tetris_ pieces fell into place. Three years ago, this would’ve been nothing more than a pipe dream; now, it was his reality.

But something about what Jumin said bothered him. It was true that he didn’t have anything from his _own_ childhood to leave behind, but did that mean he had nothing else to offer? Before he met you, the time he spent with the RFA had been a blur. The most he could muster up were mere memories; a legacy of laughter and pranks, his last stand against a world that threatened to break him.

A fine thing to leave a child, perhaps.

“Are you just going to stand there? Or are you going to buy something?”

Saeyoung spun around to face the clerk, his foot tapping impatiently.

“Yes. In fact, I’d like to buy every flavor of ice cream you carry, but you seem to be all out of Chunky Monkey. Would you mind checking the back while I gather up the rest?”

In truth, Saeyoung was happier than he’d ever been. And when the time came, he had one hell of a story to leave behind. 

* * *

“I’m home,” announced Saeyoung as the heavy gate slid shut behind him. His arms were laden with numerous bags, the plastic clinging to their frozen contents. He froze, nearly dropping them when he saw the familiar figure sitting at the kitchen table.

“What’s _he_ doing here?” hissed Saeyoung.

“You ask that question an awful lot,” said Vanderwood, his voice laced with sass. “I’m starting to think you don’t actually know how to say ‘hello’.”

“Don’t be like that, Saeyoung,” you said as you busied yourself with food prep. “Vanderwood just dropped by for dinner and - geez, Saeyoung, you didn’t have to buy the whole store!”

Saeyoung shook his head. “Don’t do it MC. If you feed him he’ll _never leave_.”

“I lost my job today, Saeyoung,” said Vanderwood in a low voice. “Knowing that, would you really put me out?”

Sighing, Saeyoung moved to put away the ice cream. “If it was the first or second time, probably not. But this is the third job you’ve had in the past three months.”

“ _You_ try working retail. I think I’d rather take my chances with the agency.”

You couldn’t help but laugh. This was a man who could bring down entire organizations with the secrets he knew; the idea of him standing behind a cash register was nothing short of comical.

“It’s not funny,” growled Vanderwood. “There are forms of _torture_ that are more humane.”

Saeyoung came up behind you and moved you gently aside (“What are you doing? You should be _resting_!”) before making quick work of the vegetables you’d been chopping. You gazed lovingly at his profile, his face drawn in concentration.

“Feeling better?”

He smiled. “I think so.”

Your head snapped up at the sudden sound of footsteps. Seconds later, Saeran appeared in the doorway, waving around a red 3DS in a rare display of excitement.

“Saeyoung, did you know you can launch a spaceship in _Tetris_ if you score enough points?” He paused, his face quickly returning to its usual scowl. “What is _he_ doing here?”

Vanderwood looking to the ceiling as a hand slid down his face.

“Dear God, they’re multiplying.”

* * *

Heavy with both food and fatigue, Saeyoung sat in bed, his face illuminated by the laptop sitting before him. His headphones had been set aside, opting instead to listen to your gentle breathing as you slept beside him. The clatter of plates could be heard in the distance as Vanderwood cleared the table.

He began to type. 

> “Welcome to the world, kid.
> 
> It’s a pretty unfortunate place at times. Some of us are born into misfortune, but all of us meet it with time. It’s important to remember that this can’t always be helped. Bad things will happen to good people; ‘shit happens,’ as I like to say, but don’t tell your mother.
> 
> I know I can’t always protect you, though I’d like to try. You’ll be on your own someday, but please remember that you won’t _ever_ be alone. By the time you read this, you will already be well acquainted with the RFA. They’re… a strange bunch, but knowing your father I’m sure you expect no less. They were by my side when I didn’t think I’d live to see tomorrow. And now I have you! So… I guess you could say they’re a force to be reckoned with.
> 
> By now they’ll have told you lot of stories about me. Happy stories, I hope, though at the time they weren’t too pleased with me. Everyone has their own defenses; mine was simply to _have fun_. Maybe a little too much fun, but let’s just say I had a lot of misfortune to compensate for.
> 
> Whenever you think it can’t get any worse, I want you to read this list. If not for the laughs, then to be thankful that you didn’t grow up with me as a friend.
> 
> So without further ado, I present to you my magnum opus: the list of things that I, Saeyoung Choi, am no longer allowed to do as a member of the RFA:

  1. Not allowed to challenge Yoosung to “meet me on the field of honor at dawn,” because he _will_ show up, and none of us are quite sure where.
  2. Not allowed to threaten anyone with black magic.
  3. Not allowed to challenge anyone’s disbelief of black magic by asking for hair.
  4. Not allowed to give myself or any other RFA member silicone breast implants.
  5. Not allowed to play Russian Roulette with a 12-pack of Dr. Pepper after furiously shaking one can.
  6. Not allowed to add ‘in accordance with the prophecy’ to anything Zen might say.
  7. Must not dox anyone under the age of twelve, no matter how rude they are.
  8. The proper way to greet my wife is ‘How was your day?’ not ‘You can’t prove a thing!’
  9. I am neither the king nor queen of Honey Buddha Chips.
  10. Not allowed to retroactively defect to Mint Eye.
  11. Not allowed to speculate on the penis size of my fellow RFA members.
  12. Not allowed to send anonymous love letters to Zen.
  13. Not allowed to send love letters to Zen addressed from ‘Mary Vanderwood the 3rd.’
  14. Not allowed to call Vanderwood ‘freeloading scum,’ even if I’m right.
  15. Not allowed to program any robotic animal to ‘sic,’ especially those of the firebreathing variety.
  16. I am not having an affair with Elizabeth the 3rd.
  17. Any device that can crawl across the table on medium should not be brought to parties.
  18. Must not dab at parties.
  19. Must not wear my maid outfit to parties.
  20. Not allowed to start a betting pool as to when Jumin and Zen will start dating…”



The smile that had grown on Saeyoung’s face now stretched from ear to ear. He found it hard not to laugh as he fished out his phone from the bedsheets, quickly loading up the messenger app.

As he suspected, the chatroom was empty.

 **Saeyoung has entered the chatroom**.

> **Saeyoung** : Listen up everyone!  
>  **Saeyoung** : As you all know, my baby is due any day now and I need YOUR help to mark the occasion.  
>  **Saeyoung** : This is an OPEN CALL for anyone who has been personally victimized by myself, the expecting father formerly known as God Seven!  
>  **Saeyoung** : If you have any grievances, please air them one at a time!  
>  **Saeyoung** : Saeyoung Choi, SIGNING OUT!

 

**Author's Note:**

> Based on [Skippy’s List](http://skippyslist.com/list/).  
> These fics used to be really popular when I was growing up, but I have no idea if anyone writes them anymore. ;;
> 
> Also, that bit about Tetris? [True story](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofWVtZ9O0Yc). My dad did it once when I was a kid; I thought he was a wizard.


End file.
